Kiss From a Rose
by Twelf Bell
Summary: A Beauty and the Beast AU story. Characters a bit OOC; story a bit off original B&B story, of course. Ayase/Kanou. Rated K plus for BL. * COMPLETE *
1. J E W E L S

**Disclaimer:** I do not own No Money / Okane ga Nai or The Beauty and the Beast.

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_Without knowing how to love, I only hurt you. How much meaning have I been able to build up?_

**J E W E L S** (alicenine.)

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Kanou did not know how to love the one he most certainly loved. The younger boy was just too fragile and weak to be dangerously loved by the beast he was. No matter what he did, Ayase was scared. No matter how scary it was, Ayase had to put up with his fear and let the older man do what he wanted. He couldn't defy the one who saved him. He couldn't defy the one he loved himself. But Kanou did not know this. He never heard the blond say, "I love you," without bursting into tears or running away. He never even got a kiss from Ayase, except when the boy was drunk or on the verge of a very long waterfall that fell from the large blue eyes that he had.

This certain beast wanted something from the poor princess. But no matter how much he wanted it, he couldn't get it. He wouldn't ever. Kanou always forced things onto Ayase. The blond was used to the suddenness of his actions but he was not used to whatever it was. Everyday was a merry-go-round. It spun and spun in the same direction, it played the same music, and had the same horses. But no matter which horse he sat on, no matter how close he was to the horse that Ayase sat on, he could never fully reach a hand out for his love. He sometimes fell off his horse at times of accelerating speed, sometimes he just was too scared. Scared to touch Ayase. Scared to break his love...

The man woke up. _What a nightmare_. He looked around for his love. He wanted to hug Ayase right now. He was afraid that the blond had flew away and disappeared from his sight. It was a scary thought. He got up from his large couch in which he fell asleep on. "Ayase?"

He checked his chamber first and then the bower where Ayase slept. He was not there. He then checked the gallery and then the privy and the bathroom. No soul in sight. He checked the kitchen, pantry and many storerooms. No one. "Ayase?" He was frantic now. Had the young boy really left? Did he really fly away and go back to the heaven he belonged to? "Ayase?" He looked into the wardrobe room. Nope. The casemate. Was he there? No. The dungeon. No way he would be there, would he? In the great hall, Kanou stopped. Where was Ayase?

He then went out to the nearest balcony for a breath. Closing his eyes, he sighed. When he reopened them, something caught his eye down below. A bush of bright yellow was hiding among the green ones that grew around. It was Ayase. He was in the rose garden of the front bailey. Kanou called to him. "Ayase!"

The said boy looked up. He smiled and called back, "Kanou-san."

Kanou ran for the stairs. He hopped down three steps at a time. There was no need to rush, really. But Kanou was so glad that his princess had not left him as he thought. When he got to the archway that led to the large rose garden, he slowed down into a walk and went along the stone path to Ayase. When he spotted the blond, he quickened his pace and walked straight up to him.

Ayase had heard footsteps, and the only person that would be walking in the castle other than him would be the beast, Kanou. No one was ever allowed in the castle except themselves and some intruders that occasionally came and those people were Gion and Someya-san. The two twin butlers, Kuba-san, were sometimes allowed in the castle, but only when Kanou needed them. When Ayase once asked about how they get here (the castle) so fast, Kanou told him that they live in a house near the castle.

As Kanou drew closer and closer, Ayase got up from his huddled position and turned around to face the beast. What surprised him was that when he fully made a 180 degree turn to face Kanou, the older man pulled him in to a hug. "Kanou-san?"

"Just stay like this for a while," was the answer. And for a while, they hugged as the beast wanted. In between though, Ayase began chuckling to himself. Kanou let go and asked, "What's wrong?"

The blond smiled, his cerulean eyes sparkling in the sun. "It's nothing, really. It's just that... I was wondering why you hugged me so suddenly."

The beast stared at his princess before answering, "Because... I thought that you had disappeared on me."

"Eh?"

"Nevermind that. Let me hold you." Kanou wrapped his arms around Ayase once more. For another while did they stay in that position. They stood there in the middle of the vast rose garden that the beast had built just for Ayase. Suddenly, Kanou said, "Ayase. What are you wearing?"

Ayase blushed. The older man had always told him to wear a dress, but today, he wore a raggedy white shirt with shorts – the kind of wear a normal orphan like him would wear. Before Ayase could defend himself, he noticed Kanou's own clothes. He giggled at the sight. "Look at yourself!"

The beast did. And what he saw made him blush. He was still in his sleepwear. The violet silk of his robe shone brightly in the warm weather. The dark slippers burned of rage from being out in the sun. His bed hair danced with the wind. They both burst out laughing.

"Let's go get changed, shall we?" Kanou stretched out a hand for his princess.

Ayase took it and smiled. "Yes."

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**A/N: **The beginning was a bit odd, since I kept twisting and turning it, but please bear with me. I hate beginning things T^T; Also, there may be some OOCness in future chapters. Just letting you know ^^** ~SEi**

**This site helped with the rooms of a castle: **http:/www[dot]castles[dot]me[dot]uk/rooms-in-a-medieval-castle[dot]htm


	2. KODOU

**Disclaimer:** I do not own No Money / Okane ga Nai or The Beauty and the Beast.

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_What is waiting for me tomorrow as I sing and live without meaning?_

_Alone in my room as my heartbeat screams_

_Don't kid yourself and don't fool yourself..._

**KODOU** (Dir en grey)

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After they changed, the beauty and the beast sat in the Great Hall for breakfast. It was actually closer to noon; the sun was high in the sky and the colors that blended into each other disappeared for the arrival of the afternoon sky and left a bright blue that matched the blond's eyes. Kanou kept glancing at Ayase. The boy was beautiful in the dress that he chose himself. As he sipped his morning tea, Kanou analyzed the boy's attire. Ayase wore a lace-layered blue and white cross dress that flowed down to a little below his knees with a Butterfly Blue Scabiosa flower clipped to his tied-up hair. Around the dress was a large Scabiosa bow and white ankle-boots fitted his feet.

Around his neck, he wore the gold ring that Kanou bought for him, which was supposedly for their 'marriage' that Ayase's cousin, Tetsuo, had sold him for. Apparently, Tetsuo was in debt from borrowing money and so, to call off his debt, he sold Ayase to the beast of the only castle in Shinjuku – who was very lonely at the time. After selling Ayase off, Tetsuo got his money but was later jailed for having cheated people in his clothes business. He paid himself out of jail using the money he got from selling Ayase, but that was about 2/3 of the entire sum and so, he still had the debt. And now, somewhere out there, Tetsuo was _still _risking his life fleeing from the pursuers that wanted their money.

Kanou sighed. What a long time ago that was – two years ago, to be precise. Ayase was now twenty, and himself twenty-eight. He had been living with the beauty for a long time now. Nothing much really happened between them – the only things they did were hugs, kisses and simple stuff. Supposedly, they were at Stage One... still. Both didn't really have time for each other. Ayase was usually always wandering around the castle, and Kanou himself was busy with thinking of ways to approach Ayase. He sighed again.

Wondering what Kanou was sighing about, Ayase looked up from his tea. He stared at the man, boring his pale blue eyes into him. Kanou wore suit pants, a dress shirt, and dress shoes. The dress shirt was white – matching with Ayase's dress – and buttoned up to the second button, a little of his collarbone showing. The suit pants were a dark gray – matching with his neatly combed hair. The shoes he wore were black – the same color as his tailor coat that lay neatly on his chair head. Kanou sighed once more, closing his eyes in the process.

"Kanou-san?"

As if he didn't hear or he was ignoring it, Kanou sighed again, this time with his hand on his forehead. _How odd._ What's wrong with Kanou-san?, wondered Ayase as he quietly ate his breakfast. Today's breakfast was baguette with strawberry jam, and buttered croissants. Ayase began with the crescent moon-shaped bread. He took one bite, and as he chewed, he looked at the bread with its many layers. _Kanou-san is like this bread,_ thought Ayase. _Though he's hard on the outside, he's really soft in the inside._ He took another bite, and then looked at Kanou. He still had his eyes closed with a hand to his forehead. He looked like he was sleeping. Ayase swallowed and then said, "Kanou-san...?"

The boy's voice finally popped the bubble that reflected reality away from the beast. He opened his eyes immediately and brought his hand down to the table. "What is it, Ayase?"

"Um..." Ayase's eyes fell to the food in front of the beast. "Your breakfast is getting cold..."

Kanou also looked down at his food. "Oh."

Silence. The conversation was going no where. About every conversation that Ayase or Kanou tried to start, the other ended it quite quickly. None of the two knew what to say anymore. Kanou bit his lip, wondering if he should say something more. He picked up his baguette and spread some jam on it. Ayase did the same. They both took a bite at the same time. As they chewed, the silence of the Great Hall screamed in their ears. Kanou swallowed and cleared his throat. "A-Ayase."

"Hm?" The boy looked up.

"W... What were you doing out in the rose garden?"

Ayase smiled, and that made Kanou soften up. "Yesterday, I found a blue rose and I wanted to check up on it today."

"But I thought the garden was only full of red roses. That's what I told them to do." He took another bite of his bread.

"Yes, but there is a blue rose in the middle of the garden. I don't know who planted it but I feel happy knowing that there is at least one different rose."

"Why?"

"Mm..." Ayase thought about it for a moment. "I.. can't really explain it... Um... when I think of myself as the blue rose, I feel as if I am alone but since there are many others around me, I feel happy that I fit in though I am of a different color."

Kanou stared at Ayase, who was blushing. He didn't really get it but he smiled and said, "Do you want that rose in your room?"

Ayase shook his head. "No thank you. I rather it be with every other rose."

"Alright."

For the rest of the day, Kanou played with Ayase outside for the first time. They mostly stayed around the blue rose and at times, they both laughed at their conversation as well as the silly things that Kanou kept doing – especially tripping over a rock. When they went back into the castle, it was already evening. The day had gone by so fast that Kanou wished that he could stay with Ayase longer. It wasn't as if Ayase was going to leave or anything, but Kanou felt lonely anyway. Their time together was long and short at the same time. If the Kuba twins hadn't come over, the day would have ended immediately.

At the sound of a knock and a door opening, Kanou asked,"What is it, Kuba?"

"Excuse us, sir." Kuba Homare and Misao bowed at the doorway. Ayase looked curiously behind a wall, eavesdropping on the conversation between master and butlers.

Kuba H said, "There is an emergency in the village."

"Please attend to it quickly," Kuba M continued.

"What kind of emergency?"

"..." The twins looked at each other before bowing and saying at the same time, "There is a large fire at the village school."

"Hmph," Kanou folded his arms, "So what does that have to do with me?"

The twins looked at each other once more. "That is..."

"We've got to go to the village right now!"

"Ayase?" Kanou looked behind him, surprised. Ayase stood there, dress and all, with a fierce but worried face on.

The boy repeated himself. "We've got to go to the village right now!"

"Why should we? Those villagers treat me as a beast... no, the devil. Why should I treat them nicely when they don't?"

Ayase walked up to Kanou and stared him in the eyes. "Because if you do something nice to them now, they will treat you nice, too. Things change, Kanou-san, but only if you change them yourself."

Kanou didn't know what to say. Everything Ayase seemed to say these days were right. He thought for a moment, and then complied. "Fine. Let's go."

Ayase smiled and ran for the door. "Let's hurry up! There may still be children inside!" And before Kanou could say anything about Ayase's clothes, the boy was already past the castle gates.

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**A/N:** JUST IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW YET, Kanou is not a beast with fur and fangs and all. In this story, it's just a saying. ****** I drew a picture of Ayase and Kanou in their clothes when I was bored of writing this chapter ^^ The picture can be found in my deviantart (the link is on my profile) **~SEi**


	3. Itoshii Hito

**Disclaimer:** I do not own No Money / Okane ga Nai or The Beauty and the Beast.

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_My beloved Don't cry, show me a smile. I didn't say I liked seeing tears, did I?_

**Itoshii Hito**

(Miyavi)

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There was a red luminous glow on the horizon when Ayase stopped to catch his breath. Hearing pounding footsteps behind him, he turned and watched as Kanou quickly caught up with him.

"You idiot! Your clothes are getting ruined!"

Ayase looked down and saw that his boots were blackened with mud and dirt and his dress was dirtied at the hems and was slowly ripping apart, from the low branches of the bushes and from tripping. He had taken a shortcut that he used to use when he was little from the village to the castle, in which he loved to look at. It was amazing, that now, he could see the castle anytime he wanted and he saw it so much that he got bored and tired of it, wanting to go back to the village.

Kanou sighed and reached a hand out, wiping dirt from his lover's pale and sweaty face. "Come on, let's go."

They trudged through the muddy field and when they finally reached the village, they were panting very hard and they were sweating through their light clothes. Suddenly, a scream was heard. The village school was loudly collapsing, with a crowd of villagers waiting outside for the children inside to be rescued. Half of the crowd was passing buckets of water from a nearby well. It went in order like this; pull up water, pass bucket to villager, another villager, another, another, another, splash on fire, then that front person walked out of line and went to the back, passing the bucket to the one pulling up water. There were three of these lines, going all in different directions.

Another scream was heard. It was coming from inside the school house.

"Somebody! Please! Get my baby out of there!" sobbed a woman, who Ayase supposed was a child's mother.

Ayase hurriedly ran from the place he was at and yelled, "How many children are inside?"

Everyone looked at him and almost everyone became happily muttering a few things, hiding their faces behind their hands as if praying. "It's the princess!" "It's the angel!" "He's come! He's come!"

Ayase was speechless. What did they mean? "Um.. e-excuse me?"

_KABOOOM!_ A log from the school crashed to the floor. A few people nearby scrambled from the shock. Everyone went back to what they were doing before the 'angel' arrived. Quickly and quickly, they went faster and faster.

An old woman with a hunched back walked over to Ayase with her cane in hand and bowed her head, "Dear child, you are blessed. It has been a long time since we have seen one with such beautiful blond hair." She sobbed quietly to herself. Ayase patted her shoulder and didn't say anything. _Was it possible that this was not the village that he used to live in? _If this village were the one he lived in before, then the villagers would remember him.

The old woman continued on, "It is said that when the day comes in which an angel arrives in the village, the whole village will be blessed with happiness, wealth and well-growth of crops." The old woman took Ayase's hands and said, "What is your name, dear child?"

"M-My name is Ayase."

"Ayase, hm..." The old woman sighed. "What a beautiful name."

With hands still grasped lightly between the wrinkly and shaking ones, Ayase remembered what he was supposed to do and urgently said, "Excuse me! How many children are still inside?"

"Eh..?"

Ayase repeated himself.

"My, you truly are an angel..." She sighed again and then let go of Ayase's hands. "Sadly, there are about five children inside. I don't think anyone can get them all out before the whole building collapses."

Suddenly, both of them heard heavy thudding footsteps. Ayase turned around and the old woman looked behind Ayase. It was Kanou, all dirty and angry.

The old woman said in a scared and shocked tone, "I-It's the b-beast!" She hid behind Ayase, as if he could protect her. "You must send him away! It's said that the beast in the castle is the one that started all the horrible things that happened here in the village! Dear child, send him away! Send him away!" The old woman tugged at Ayase.

"W-Wait! It can't be his fault!"

"It's true! It's true! Ever since the beast arrived here, terrible things have been happening! Send him away, child! Away, child!"

"B-But it c-can't be true!"

"And why is that, dear child?" The old woman was taken back by Ayase's disagreement.

"B-Because..." Ayase looked over at Kanou. "Because I have been living with him in the castle ever since I arrived here. He has not done anything wrong. He treats me well."

The old woman was shocked. "A-A-An angel... t-taking sides with a b-beast...! I... I cannot believe it! I refuse to believe it!"

"It is true." And with that, Ayase made the old woman let go of her harsh grip on his hands and walked over to the beast, who had heard every word that was passed between the two. "Kanou-san..."

"Leave me alone. I told you I didn't want to come. You see that? They despise me that much!" Kanou folded his arms.

"But it's not true, right? You wouldn't do anything to hurt the villagers. You don't even want to bother with them!"

"... hmph."

"Kanou-san..." Ayase put his arms around the beast, ignoring a loud gasp from behind. "It's alright. You're not the one in wrong. But if you keep thinking that way, then please fulfill my request."

The beast made a sour face, furrowing his eyebrows, before saying, "What is it?"

Ayase looked up at him and said, "I want you to save those children inside."

"What?" He growled and struggled to get free of the hug.

"Kanou-san, Kanou-san," Ayase repeated the name to calm him down. When Kanou finally sighed and wrapped his arms around the fragile one, Ayase said, "Well done, Kanou-san. Now will you help or not?"

"...Not?"

"Kanou-san!" Ayase glared up at the beast.

"I was kidding!"

Ayase let go and smiled up at him. "Good luck then."

"Will you give me a kiss before I go?"

The blond blushed before saying, "No. Only when you come back."

Kanou gave a disappointed face and Ayase felt sorry for him, though he still felt that prizes should be given after you win. He watched as Kanou marched over to the school and the villagers backing away from their spots.

Ayase yelled to the so-called 'firefighters', "Stop what you're doing! Rain clouds are coming, so don't waste any more water than that!"

Everyone looked up and it was true. Dark, gray clouds surrounded the sky. Soon enough, rain began pouring down. Kanou had gotten a large blanket from a volunteering villager, as Ayase had told him to do, and wet it from top to bottom with water. He then covered himself with the blanket and ran inside the school.

Ayase clutched his fists and prayed silently to himself. _Please let him be alright. Please. Oh please._

It was only after a few minutes did Kanou come out with two children. The children were coughing and gasping for fresh air and water. Kanou dropped them on the ground and their parents ran over to them, thankful that they were safe. Kanou ran back in and after another minute, one more was out. He dropped the girl on the ground and ran back inside. Then, the walls of the school suddenly collapsed and let out a long sigh. The fire was becoming drained out with the rain. Kanou did not come out. One minute past. Then, another. Another and another.

Ayase began tearing up. His heart felt like it was breaking apart but he still had a little confidence holding his heart together. Even though the tears poured down like the rain, hope and plea sparkled in his eyes.

"Mommy!"

A large figure came out from the building. It was Kanou, carrying the child who had called out. He dropped the child before closing his eyes and collapsing onto the ground. The child ran to his parents and Ayase to the beast. The blond lifted Kanou's head and inspected his injuries. Kanou was bleeding in the head from where he had protected the child from the collapsing walls. He was also scratched and burned up on his arms and legs.

"Kanou..." Ayase's tears came running out like they were having a marathon to see which one would win first.

The beast did not move a bit. He did not stir. Ayase sobbed and sobbed. The only things that could be heard was the sound of rain on the roofs, the shuffling of the villagers and Ayase's loud crying. Suddenly, a little boy cried out, "He's moving!"

Ayase tried to blink back his tears to clear the blurriness in his eyes. He felt something warm on his cheek. It was Kanou's hand. The beast chuckled and said, "Tadaima (I'm back). May I get my kiss now?"

The blond chuckled himself and said, "Okaeri (Welcome back)." He leaned down and kissed Kanou on the lips. The beast stared in surprise at the blond but Ayase looked away, blushing and embarrassed.

Suddenly, the rain stopped and the sun came out. A rainbow formed in the sky. Everyone cheered for the happiness and blessing of the day. They even cheered for the beast. It was a very happy day – especially for Kanou, who got a kiss from a rose.

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**A/N:** Du du duu ~ This story is FINISHED! I said, **finished**! Banzai!~ :D **DO REVIEW!**

Thankshu very muches for reading, especially **Onige-a**, who I especially wrote this story for! :D **~SEi**


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